Vacuum heating apparatus.



No. 874,112. PATENTED DEO.17, 1907.

0. G. PEGK. VACUUM HEATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

FIG.1.

INVENTOR 0. G. PBGK.

VACUUM HEATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31. 1906.

PATENTED DEC. 17, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIG-.3

WITNESSES: I NVENTOR %M 6m QASSIUS GARROLI. PEGK, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

VACUUM HEATING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented pee. 17, 1907.

Application filed July 31.1906. Serial No. 328.630..

T 0 all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, CASSIUS CARROLL PECK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum Heating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of heating apparatus in which a vacuum of more or less extent is applied to the return end of a heating circuit for the purpose of removing air, to reduce the amount of initial vapor tension required for effecting circulation through the system, to insure even and complete c1rculation, and to withdraw water of condensation as well as air as fast as these accumulate.

It consists of two chief elements; first, a receiver having a water space and a steam space so connected to the return pipe, or pipes, of'the heating system that water of condensation shall be conducted intothe receiver below the water line, and air withdrawn from the heating circuit shall enter the air s ace of the receiver by a separate pipe, sai air space being connected with a vacuum pump, and the water space conn'ected with a separated water pump controlled by a float in the receiver; and, second,

an air and water separating chamber located in the end portion of the return conduit, and connected with said receiver by separate air and water pipes.

In the drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of apparatus constituting a heating system embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of my vacuum valve which is of suitable construction for use with the means shown in Fig. 1 for maintaining a roper degree of vacuum in return pipes of a iieating circuit, and for draining air and water from radiators. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the automatic valve shown in Fig. 2. vFig. 4 illustrates an alternative form of separator shown at 17, Fig. 1.

In the drawings arrows feathered on both sides indicate the flow of steam; those feathered on one side indicate the flow of air; and

unfeathered arrows indicate the flow of wa-,

may or may not have a pressure reducing valve. Pipe 6, having back ressure valve 7, discharges exhaust steam wInich is not required for the heatin system. Pipe 8 is the main steam supply or the heatingsystem, and the branch pipes 9 su 1y radiators 10, controlled by valves 11. ipe 12 supplies radiator 13 through valve 14. The return pipes 15 and 16 connect the aforesaid radiators with air and water separating chamber 17 air going thence through pipe 18 to the air space in top of receiver 19, and water flowing through pipe 20 to the bottom of said receiver. In each of the branch return pipes 12, connecting radiators 10 with return pipe 15, is one of my vacuum valves 22, shown on an enlarged scale in Figs. 2 and 3, and in return pipe 18 from the lowest placed radiator is anot er of these valves; also in pipe 23, which serves to drain supply pipe 8 into return pipe' 16, is one of the same kind of valves. Receiver pump 24, having the valved steam supply pipe 27, is controlled automat-- ically by a float in the receivercontrolling the live steam supply by opening-and closing valve 27 a as requlred by the water levelin the receiver.

In proportion as the water level rises steam is admitted to drive the pum the duty of which is to take water from t e receiver through the pipe connection on opposite side of the pump from that shown, the position being indicated at 24, and deliver the water into boiler 1 through pipe 26. The normal water level in receiver '19 is indicated by a broken line 19. Vacuum pump 21, driven by steam supplied through valved pipe 28, Withdraws air from space above water level in the receiver through connecting pipe 29 and discharges it to atmosphere through pipe connection 23, which is usually fitted with a pipe for conveying moist air and vapor out of doors. The amount of vacuum desired for the heating systemis thus produced and maintained in the space above the water line in the receiver, and so in se arator 17 and throughout the return pipes of the heating circuit;

The apparatus is intended to be represented as located on four different floors of a building, the three upper floors being indiopening 32 in case 33, having also a guide rod 34 which enters recess 35 in the case cover 36 to control movement of float and valve. At the left hand-side of float case 33 is a fitting 37 provided on its inner end with a strainer 38 for interceptin dirt and scale, the opposite end being inten ed to connect with the return end of a radiator, or

.coil, either directly or with a union, or it may connect with the drain pipe of a supply main, as 23, Fig. 1. On the opposite side of the float case 1s an inclosed passage 39 for conducting water of condensation escaping through valve passage 32 into returnplpe 12, or 16, or 23. At the u per end of this passage isa very small ho e 40 connecting the upper portion of the .float chamber with passage 39. The plug 41 provides for cleanlng out any solid matter which may collect in passage 39.

Vacuum gage 42 on returnpipe 15 gives means for constant indication of the degree of vacuum in returns of the heatin circuit; and pressure gage 43 shows any egree of pressure which may exist in supply pipe 8.

Operation is as follows: In starting up the heatlng system, live steam is first turned on to vacuum pum 21 through valved pipe 28 so as to start t e pum and remove air as fully as possible'from a l the pi es and radiators of the heating system. hen this has been done, and'the desired degree of vacuum,

usually five inches to ten inches, is indicated on gage 42, steam is let into the heati circuit through pipe 8 either from boi er 1 through valved which exists in radiators 10 and 13 allows steam to rush into them throu h pipes 9 and 14 with little resistance. As t e steam c'ondenses in radiators, .water of condensation which accumulates therefrom flows out by gravity through-branch return pipes12 and 16, and condensation in pipe 8 1s discharged through pipe-23 and valve 22 into return pipe 15, valve 31 on float 30 being raised by t e water so as to admit of its passage through 1o ening'32 in float-case 33, thus admitting "anced water t erein which pressure forces the water ,t e water to channel 39, where it-flows into .the aforesaid pipes 12 and 16. Partial vacuum in the return ipes. 'causesi unbalressure 1n the oat chamber above out of said chamber and throu 'h the branch pipes intothe. main return an into air and water separating chamber 17 Fromthis separator all air is drawn through pipe '18 into receiver 19 inconsequence of vacuum created by pump 24, driven by steam supordinary condensation sinki plied through'valved pipe 28, the water of "ng by gravity through pipe 20 into the bottom of receiver 19. This receiver with its pump :24 may be of any pattern of pump and receiver. The pump will usually deliver water of conpipe 5, 'or from engine 3' through valved plpe 4. The partial vacuum pipe 16 into separator 17, where it will mingle with water coming from other radiators andflow' through pipe 20 into the receiver; 4

In order that air may separate freely and 'quietly from water, the separator must have sufficient liberatin' surface, and must be located above the evel of water in receiver 19 and also drain pipes from the heating circuit, as 15 and 16, should enter on the side and in a horizontal direction, the water discharge pipe being connected to the bottom and the air pipe to the top, all as shown. For a small system a large pipe tee, as shown in Fig. 4,.will answer for a separator.

If one ofthe valves 11 of radiators 10 be suddenly closed, condensation of steam may occur so rapidly as to cause a greater degree of vacuum in the radiator than in the return ipe 15, in which case water might be drawn back into the radiator from the return pipe except for the small hole 40, which is located above the Water level, and which allowsair from the return pipe to be drawn into the radiator to replace steam as it condenses. This hole also rovides for constant withdrawal of air om the radiator to insure keeping the latter filled with steam when supply valve 11 is open. By slightly opening sal valve, the radiator may be partially heated, as is often desired to suit weather conditions.

It will be seen that unless water of conden- 'sation collects in a radiator so as to raise float 30 in drain valve 22, said float will sink so as to allow valve 31 to seat and shut off communication between the radiator and the return pipe, except for the small hole 40 which does not allow of passage of sufficient steam to affect the vacuum to the extent of materially reducing vacuum in the return pipe. Under this condition, taken in connection with separator 17 and the manner of placing and connecting it with receiver 19,

and the pump 24' for disposing of the water of condensation, the vacuum pump 21 has only the duty of Withdrawing air from the heating system, and therefore can do this more efiicientl and economically than where, as is usual y the case,.a single pump is employed to handle both air and water which flow in a mixed state to the pump.

- The vacuum systemis es ecially adapted for utilizing exhaust steam in iieating. When the supply of this is insufficient, the deficiency is usually made up with live steam delivered through a pressure. reducing valve. In either case there is no occasion with my system for using steam above atmospheric pres-- sure in the heating system, hence there is no back pressure on en ines where the exhaust from same is used or heating, neither collection and retention of water in radiators or connecting ipes to cause water hammer and create liabllity of damage by freezing.

It is obvious that one drainage valve may serve for more than one radiator, 'as illustrated bv pipe 23 having valve 22 which drains t 1e supply pipe 8 of three radiators 10.

I do not confine myself to the exact apparatus and details shown and described as illustrating suitable means for carrying out my system of heating, as e uivalent mechanical appliances may be su stituted Without departing from what I claim as my invention.

1. In avacuum heating systemand in combination, a source of steam supply; a supply conduit; areturn conduit; aradiator;means establishing communication between said radiator and conduits; an air and water drainage valve for said radiator controlling difierential pressure between the radiator and the return conduit; a closed air and water receiver at the return end of the sysbination a source of steam supply; a supply' conduit; a return conduit provided Wlth a separating chamber for air and water; a

radiator; means establishing communication.

between said radiator and conduits; .an air and water drainage valve for said radiator controlling differential pressure between the radiator and the return conduit; a closed air and water receiver at the return end of the system; separate air and water pipes communicating respectively with the air and Water spaces of said receiver, and with said separating chamber; an airpump; a water ump; means establishing communication etween said air and water pumps and the airand water spaces, respectively, of the receiver and means for actuating said umps.

CASSIUS CARROLL P CK. Witnesses:

D. GURNEE, H. L. Osooon. 

